Push-pull device for containers



Sept. 13, 1966 C. R. COOLEY PUSH-PULL DEVICE EGE CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 3, 1964 Hlillllfll Sept. 13, 1966 c. R. cooLEY PUSH-PULL DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1964 INI/ENT OR. CHARLES R. CooLEY -Hornm S Sept. 13, 1966 c. R. cooLEY 3,272,546

PUSH-PULL DEVICE FCR CONTAINERS Filed Deo. 3, 1964 5 Sheets$heet 5 Figa.

Fig. 6.

IN VENT OR. CHARLES R. CnoLEv United States Patent O 3,272,546 PUSH-PULL DEVICE FUR CGNTAINERS Charles R. Cooley, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Tri-City Industrial Service, Inc., Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Dec. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 415,730 4 Claims. (Cl. 294--2) This invention relates `generally to material transfer devices and in particular to an assembly adapted to cooperate with a container for pulling or ypushing the container with relation to a tilted loading platform.

In the prior art various means have been utilized to slide loaded containers along a track, or guides, with the track being tilted or horizontal. Such devices are disclosed in US. Patents 1,280,141 and 2,521,727. One of the problems involved in moving heavily loaded containers, a-s referred to above, is providing catch device, either on the container or on a thrust member cooperating with the container, which can be used to link the container to a source of motive power bidirectionally, that is, so that the container can be either pulled onto, or pushed olf of, a loading frame or plat-form.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a catch device which can be selectively actuated to apply either push or pull motive power to a container and which cooperates with spaced abutments on a con tainer so that such motive power can be applied in well defined steps or increments.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple, trouble-free catch assembly for selectively, moving loaded containers onto or off of tilted loading frames.

These and other objects will become apparent a-s the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a side view of a prime mover, tiltable platform and a portion of a container and illustrating the device of the present invention in its environment of use.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l but showing the container loaded upon the platform by utilization oi the dev-ice of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device of the present invention and illustrating a portion of the tiltable loading platform with which the device of the present invention coacts.

FIG. 4 is a side view taken `generally along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 lis a fragmentary side view of a container and the motion of the device of the present invention during the application of a pushing or pulling force to the container.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, bottom plan view of a container having transverse bars thereon with which the device of the present invention is adapted to cooperate.

Referring initially to FIGS. l and 2, there is shown a prime mover taking the form of the tractor unit 10, trailer platform 11 and tilting loading platform 12. The platform 12 is pivoted at 13 and is raised an-d lowered by means of hydraulic power units 14 and 16 (FIG. 3), only one of the power units 14 being visable in FIG. l. As will be evident from FIG. 3 the tilting platform 12 is composed of spaced structural channels 17 and 18 which are braced by suitable gusseting 19 and cross members 21. The longitudinal members 17 and 18 are formed by back-to-back channels, the inwardly facing channels 17a and 18a providing tracks for the device of the present invention as will subsequently be described.

The push-pull attachment device of the present invention is shown generally at 31 in FIG. l and is adapted to be moved rectilinearly along the tilting platform 12. The device 31 is adapted to engage spaced bars 23 ICC mounted along the underside of the container 24. FIG. 6 shows the arrangement of the bars along the length of the container, at the underside thereof. The leading or initial bar 23 on the container extends between two depending brackets 26. The remaining, shorter bars 23 are spaced along the length of the underside of the container and extend between the side anges of a channelshaped structural member 27 which is rigidly secured to the underside of the container, the bottom panel of the container being indicated at 28 in FIG. 6..

The dev-ice 31 of the present invention is engaged sequentially by the bars 23 and a container is drawn by incremental movement up onto the tilting platform 12 and the tilting platform is lowered by means of the power means 14 and 16 until the platform and container have obtained the positions shown in FIG. 2. In the unload- Aing `of the container 24 from the trailer, the device of the present invention is utilized again to engage the bars 23 on the container base. However, the device 31 engages the bars so that the container may be pushed or controlled in its movement off of the tilting platform 12.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the structure of the device embodying the present invention will now be described. The push-pull attachment device comprises a tubular housing indicated generally at 31, the housing being formed of two portions 32 and 33 whose central longitudinal axes are inclined with relation to each other. Extending `side-wardly from. the housing portion 32 are triangular shaped gusset members 34. The end area of the housing `portion 32 accommodates a transverse sleeve 36 which is inset into the housing portion and is welded thereto and also welded to the gusset members 34. The sleeve 36 encircles an antifriction bearing sleeve 37 and the sleeve 36 is thus free to pivotally move around a transverse shaft 38. As may best be seen in FIG. 3, the shaft 38 extends sidewardly beyond the sleeve 36 and lthe ends of the shaft are attached to sli-de blocks with `are free to move along the longitudinal length of the inwardly facing channel frame members 17a and 18a. Each extending end of the shaft 33 carries -a torsion spring 40 which serves to bias the free end of the housing 31 upwardly as viewed in FIG. 3 and counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4.

The housing 31 is moved rectilinearly along the frame members 17 and 18 by any suitable means which may take the form of a thrust rod 39 rigidly attached at one end `to the sleeve 36. The thrust rod 39 may be actuated by a hydraulic power element such as indicated at 41, the power element 41 being mounted centrally between the members 17 and 18. The housing portion 33 is cut away and undercut to provide two, spaced and opposed container bar-receiving throats 42` and 43, The nose plug or closed end of the housing is smoothly curved as indicated at 44.

Rigidly mounted within the housing and generally below the center of the housing portion 33 is a sleeve 46 (FIG. 4). Slidable longitudinally within the sleeve is a member 47 having a pivotal attachment, indicated at 48 to a thrust pin 49. The thrust pin 49 is a component of a power element 51 taking the specific form of a single actin-g hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted within the housing portion 32 by means of the pivotal attachment of the mounting post 52 to the spaced anges 53 depending from the inner surface of the housing portion 32. It will be understood that other forms of power elements for providing motion of the member 47 within the sleeve 46 could be utilized. A pressure liquid line to the hydraulic cylinder 51 is not shown in FIG. 4, however, it will be recognized that this might be a flexible line or might be a rigid iluid feed line which extends concentrically within the thrust rod 39 of the larger hydraulic cylinder 41.

While `the thrust pin 49 may be extended by the hydraulic cylinder 51, a means is provided for retracting the thrust pin which takes the form of a compression spring 54 extending from a surface within the sleeve 46 and a surface 56 at the free end of the housing portion 33. The member 46 carries an abutment member 57 which extends upwardly therefrom. The abutment 57, `as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4 cooperates with the throat 42 so as to obstruct it preventing entry of a container bar 23 into the throat 42. Upon extension of the thrust pin 49, the member 47, and consequently the abutment 57, move from their solid line position of FIG. 4 into their broken 4line position and in this .position the abutment 57 obstructs the throat 43 preventing entry of a container bar 23 into the throat but permitting such entry in the now yunobstructed throat 42.

In operation, the trailer is moved into the positional relationship with a container 24 which is shown in FIG. 1. The device 31 is then moved rectilinearly toward the container by means of the power element 41 until the first container bar 23 is seated in the throat 43 of the device as shown in FIG. 5. The power element 41 is then actuated so as to retract the member 39, drawing the container up the tilted platform 12 a distance equal to the length of the stroke of the power element 41. A suitable arresting means, indicated at 611 in FIG. 3 is then actuated (by means of a solenoid or any other remotely controllable means) to move against the web portions of the longitudinal panel 27 underlying the container. With the container held by the arresting means, the power element 41 is again actuated to extend the member 39 and move the attachment device 22 so as to again engage the throat 43 with the next container bar 23. It will be noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, in moving toward the second bar 23, the arcuate end 44 of the housing functions to cam downwardly the leading end of the housing, pivoting the housing `about the shaft 38. As 'the Ibar 23 registers with the cut away portion of the housing, the housing returns to its upper limiting position aligning the bar 23 with the throat 43. The arresting means 61 may now be deactuated and the thrust element 39 retracted so as to move the container and additional increment up the tilting platform 12. This sequence continues until the container is moved completely onto the platform, the platform 12 being lowered as the container moves onto it, the nal position of the container on the trailer being shown in FIG. 2.

When the container 24 is to be unloaded from the trailer, the power element 51 within the housing of the device 31 is actuated so as to move the abutment 57 to its broken line position of FIG. 4 wherein the throat 43 is obstructed and the throat 42 is cleared for entry of a container bar therein. The device 31 is then moved rectilinearly beneath the container by means of the power element 41 until one of the container bars 23 is seated in the throat 42 with the motion of the device 31 thereafter serving to push the container incrementally off the platform 12, the platform being tilted as this tremoval of the container proceeds.

It will `be understood that Ithe device 31 is not limited in its use to the handling of containers or van bodies but also might be used to pick up and eject flat bed structures, machinery, portable eld houses or other military equipment.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustra-tive, and not restrictive in character, as other modications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A push-pull attachment device adapted for cooperation with bars carried on a container spaced in the direction of intended motion of the container and extending transverse to the direction of container motion, said device comprising a tubular housing having a closed arcuate free end, said housing having a portion cut away adjacent said free end to provide two spaced and opposed barreceiving throats which are spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing being adapted to underlie a container with said bar-receiving throats adjacent to the container bars, a rectilinearly movable pivotal mounting for said housing disposed below said bar-receiving throats and permitting pivotal movement of said housing and an axis transverse to its direction of rectilinear motion, resilient means biasing said housing about its pivotal axis to urge said throats into barreceiving position, an abutment slidably mounted interiorly of said housing and movable between a rst position blocking entry of a container bar into the one of said throats adjacent the closed end of said housing and a second position blocking entry of a container bar into the -other throat, and a power element within said housing for moving said abutment between said positions, whereby as said housing is moved rectilinearly beneath a container the arcuate closed end of said housing engages the container bars pivoting said housing downwardly so as to initially clear said bars with said resilient means returning said housing to a position forcing the bars into one or the other of said throats depending upon whether said abutment is in its said iirst or second positions as said cut away portion of the housing registers with the bars.

2. A push-pull attachment device ad-apted for cooperation `with members carried on a container spaced in the direction of intended motion of the container and extending transverse to the direction of container motion, said device comprising a tubular housing having a closed arcuate free end, said housing having a portion cut away adjacent said free end to provide two spaced and opposed throats which are spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing being adapted to underlie a container with said throats adjacent to the transverse container `carried members, a rectilinearly movable pivotal mounting for said housing disposed below said throats and permitting pivotal movement of said housing on an axis transverse to its direction of rectilinear motion, resilient means biasing said housing about its pivotal axis to urge said throats `into transverse member receiving position, an abutment slidably mounted interiorly of said housing and movable between a rst position blocking entry of a transverse container member into the one of said throats adjacent the closed end of said housing and a second position blocking entry of a ymember into the other throat, and a power element within said housing for moving said abutment between said positions, whereby as said housing is moved rectilinearly beneath a container the arcuate closed end of said housing engages the transverse container members pivoting said housing downwardly so as to initially clear said members with said resilient means returning said housing to a position forcing the members into one or the other of said throats depending upon whether said abutment is in its said first or second positions as said tlut away portion of the housing registers with the memers.

3. A push-pull attachment device adapted for cooperation with members carried on a container spaced in the direction of intended motion of the container and extending transverse to the direction of container motion, said device comprising a tubular housing having a closed arcuate free end, said housing having a portion cut away adjacent said free end to provide two spaced and opposed throats which are spaced from each other :along the longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing being adapted to underlie a container with said bar-receiving throats adjacent to the transverse lcontainer carried members, a rectilinearly movable pivotal mounting for s-aid housing permitting pivotal movement of said housing on an axis transverse to its direction of rectilinear motion,

resilient means biasing said housing about its pivotal axis to urge said throats into transverse member receiving position, and abutment slidably mounted interiorly of said housing and movable between a first position blocking entry of a transverse container :member into the one of said throats adjacent the closed end of said housing and ya second position blocking entry of a member into the other throat, and a power element within said housing for moving said abutment between said positions, whereby .as said housing is moved rectilinearly beneath a container the arcuate closed end of said housing engages the transverse container members pivoting said housing downwardly so as to initially clear said members with said resilient means returning said housing to a position forcing the members into one or the other of said throats depending upon whether said abutment is in its said first or second positions as said cut away portion of the housing registers with the members.

4. A push-pull attachment device adapted for cooperation with bars carried on a container spaced in the direction of intended motion of the container land extending transverse to the direction of container motion, said device comprising a tubular housing having a closed arcuate free end, said housing having a portion cut away adjacent said free end to provide two spaced and opposed barreceiving throats which are spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis of said housing, said housing being adapted to underlie -a container with said bar-receiving throats adjacent to the container bars, a rectilinearly movable pivotal mounting for said housing disposed below said bar-receiving throats and permitting pivotal movement of said housing on an aXis transverse to its direction of rectilinear motion, resilient means biasing said housing about its pivotal `axis to urge said throats into bar-receiving position, yan abutment slidably mounted interiorly of said housing and movable between a rst position blocking entry of a container bar into the one of said throats adjacent the closed end of said housing and a second position blocking entry of a container bar into the other throat, means for moving said abutment between said positions, whereby as said housing is moved rectilinearly beneath a container the arcuate closed end of said housing engages the container bars pivoting said housing downwardly so as to initially clear said bars with said resilient means returning said housing to a position forcing the bars into one or the other of said throats depending upon whether Isaid abutment is in its said first or second positions as said :cut away portion of the hous ing registers with the bars.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1964 Allen 214-516 X 10/1965 Dempster 214-505 

1. A PUSH-PULL ATTACHMENT DEVICE ADAPTED FOR COOPERATION WITH BARS CARRIED ON A CONTAINER SPACED IN THE DIRECTION OF INTENDED MOTION OF THE CONTAINER AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION OF CONTAINER MOTION, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING HAVING A CLOSED ARCUATE FREE END, SAID HOUSING HAVING A PORTION CUT AWAY ADJACENT SAID FREE END TO PROVIDE TWO SPACED AND OPPOSED BARRECEIVING THROATS WHICH ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING BEING ADAPTED TO UNDERLIE A CONTAINER WITH SAID BAR-RECEIVING THROATS ADJACENT TO THE CONTAINER BARS, A RECTILINEARLY MOVABLE PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR SAID HOUSING DISPOSED BELOW SAID BAR-RECEIVING THROATS AND PERMITTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID HOUSING AND AN AXIS TRANSVERSE TO ITS DIRECTION OF RECTILINEAR MOTION, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID HOUSING ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL AXIS TO URGE SAID THROATS INTO BARRECEIVING POSITION, AN ABUTMENT SLIDABLY MOUNTED INTERIORLY OF SAID HOUSING AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION BLOCKING ENTRY OF A CONTAINER BAR INTO THE ONE OF SAID THROATS ADJACENT THE CLOSED END OF SAID HOUSING AND A SECOND POSITION BLOCKING ENTRY OF A CONTAINER BAR INTO THE OTHER THROAT, AND A POWER ELEMENT WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR MOVING SAID ABUTMENT BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS, WHEREBY AS SAID HOUSING IS MOVED RECTILINEARLY BENEATH A CONTAINER THE ARCUATE CLOSED END OF SAID HOUSING ENGAGES THE CONTAINER BARS PIVOTAL SAID HOUSING DOWNWARDLY SO AS TO INITIALLY CLEAR SAID BARS WITH SAID RESILIENT MEANS RETURNING SAID HOUSING TO A POSITION FORCING THE BARS INTO ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID THROATS DEPENDING UPON WHETHER SAID ABUTMENT IS IN ITS SAID FIRST OR SECOND POSITIONS AS SAID CUT AWAY PORTON OF THE HOUSING REGISTERS WITH THE BARS. 